To the editors:

It’s hard to believe that pre-law students at one of the most prestigious universities in the world would object to letting a war hero like James W. Gilchrist speak at their campus about the “Minutemen” and their position on immigration reform (“Anti-Illegal Alien Speaker Banned,” News, Oct. 19). Gilchrist is a Purple Heart veteran who nearly died protecting these insecure future lawyers’ right to speak. It is a sad day in America when those who typically advocate free speech want to silence any opposing view. This trend is becoming far too common and is making many in our country very uneasy. Intellectually honest people understand the importance for all perspectives to be included in any debate. That is, as long as those perspectives are based on logic and fact, not rhetoric and emotion. I believe the students who oppose Mr. Gilchrist formed their position on rhetoric and emotion. They are obviously ignorant about what Mr. Gilchrist and the Minutemen are concerned with.

Mark Rosso

Penn Valley, Calif.

October 16, 2009